


Caged Bird

by Jack_Valentine_666



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, F/M, LGBT, Marichat, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is Over Adrien Agreste, Marinette is a Dancer, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2020-11-23 08:56:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20889470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jack_Valentine_666/pseuds/Jack_Valentine_666
Summary: After the events at the wax museum with Adrien and the car ride home, Marinette can't help but feel heartbroken to learn that Adrien's in love with another girl. In order to fight off being akumatized she picks up a rather unexpected hobby to distract herself from the festering pain from Adrian's rejection and self-doubts of her own identity.Adrien notices the change in Marinette. She no longer runs away when they talk, she stops stuttering and mixing up her words, and she's stopped using her filter around him. What happens when Adrian sees this new side of Mari and "new" feelings start to bloom for his classmate?





	1. I know why the caged bird sings

A free bird leaps  
on the back of the wind   
and floats downstream   
till the current ends  
and dips his wing  
in the orange sun rays  
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks  
down his narrow cage  
can seldom see through  
his bars of rage  
his wings are clipped and   
his feet are tied  
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings   
with a fearful trill   
of things unknown   
but longed for still   
and his tune is heard   
on the distant hill   
for the caged bird   
sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze  
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees  
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn  
and he names the sky his own

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams   
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream   
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied   
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings   
with a fearful trill   
of things unknown   
but longed for still   
and his tune is heard   
on the distant hill   
for the caged bird   
sings of freedom.

-Maya Angelou


	2. Shattering

I feel as though my heart is being ripped apart. I can't breathe, I can't think. My eyes won't stop watering and my hands are shaking. My throat feels closed and I pant loudly trying to get air into my lungs. At this moment I forget everything. I forget about Ladybug and Chat Noir. I forget about Hawk Moth and my upcoming exam. I forget about Mama, Papa, and Alya. The only thought running around in my head is one depressing yet eye awakening fact: Adrien doesn't love me. He loves someone else.

I know some people might find my reaction to the news silly and immature but, I really loved him. I really do. I knew in the back of my mind that he would never love plain boring Marinette but I still had hope you know? I'm not as pretty as Chloe, or as sweet as Rose, or have that fire in me that Alya has. I'm just...Marinette. 

I wipe my tears and try to calm myself down in order to not get akumatized. I get up from my crouched position from under my desk and walk to my sink, filling it up with ice-cold water and dunking my face in it. It's quite under the water and the smooth silk-like liquid soothes my burning eyes and warm face. 

When I'm out of breath I raise my head from the water and pat my face dry. Tiki zooms up to me and hugs my cheek causing me to laugh softly. She pulls away and floats in front of my face with a sympathetic expression on hers.

"Oh, Marinette. It's going to be okay." She chirps with her high pitched voice. 

"I know Tiki." I sigh and look down at the ground. "I just feel like my world has shattered into pieces."

"Then rebuild," Tiki says. I look up at her confused.

"What?" I question.

"Marinette, you can't build your whole world around one person. You're going to get hurt. " She frowns. "You spent so much time focusing on Adrien that you never explored who you are with just you."

"I don't understand. I know exactly who I am." I reason. "I'm a designer, a baker, a student, and a daughter. I'm Alya's best friend and I'm...Ladybug."

"Those are the things people have told you that you are," Tiki explains patently. "What do you like to do? Who is Marinette?"

"I-I don't know." I choke in disbelief. 

"Then find out," Tiki says. I nod slowly and smile softly at her. 

"Thanks, Tiki," I tell her. She hugs my cheek again and I hug her with my hand.

"Anything for you Marinette." Tiki squeaks. 

My alarm on my phone chimes telling me that it's time to meet up with Alya and the girls at the mall. I wipe my eyes and cheeks before throwing on a little bit of mascara in order to make myself look better. Slipping on my shoes, I run down the stairs and giving mama and papa a kiss on the cheek on my way out.

I'm walking past a large group of people huddled in a semi-circle when I hear the loud thump of music. The beat resonates in my chest, sending vibrations through my bones. With peaked interest, I move to the front of the semi-circle while excusing myself through the crowd. Four people clad in black are taking turns dancing to the beat. At the moment a girl with pink hair and a black sleeveless shirt that shows her green sports bra underneath is in the center breakdancing with a large smile on her face. Her cheeks are painted a soft rosy color and sweat is built upon her brow. I don't realize I'm tapping my foot to the beat and drumming my finger on my thigh.

When she finishes with a pose she pants loudly before high-fiving a boy with coffee-colored skin who's dressed in a sleeveless black hoodie with blue plaid patches embroidered on it. She turns around and scans the crowd before her honey-colored eyes lands on my blue ones. They go wide when she skips over to me and takes me by the hand, pulling me into the middle of the semi-circle. 

"Can you dance?" She asks loudly to be heard over the music. I shake my head wildly and wave my heads in front of me.

"No! Not at all!" I yell back. She chuckles and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Why don't you try. Relax, it'll be fun. Dance in any style you're comfortable with." She says.

"No. Really I-" I start but she cuts me off and positions me in front of the expecting crowd. I sigh loudly and blush as I take off my jacket, revealing a light pink tank top. The crowd hollers and I smile slightly, a rush of confidence cutting through me. 

"What's your song." A girl with short red hair asks. She has a blue stripe in her hair and she's wearing a black and white crop top with matching shorts.

"Uh, idontwannabeyouanymore ." I say unsure. The girl smiles and nods before tapping away at her phone.

The music starts and I close my eyes and listen to the beat. It feels like every cell of my body is beating along with the music. Vibrating and the only way to realize it is to move my body around; kicking out my feet, bending my arms, and spinning. I don't full compute exactly what I'm doing but my lungs are begging for air and sweat blooms on my pale freckled skin. My lips are stretched in a wide grin and I giggle a few times. I've never felt this happy, never felt this relaxed. Not as Ladybug or Marinette. 

Only when the music stops so does my body. I pant slightly and push my bangs out of my face. Finally, I look up and see the crowd. They're all clapping and cheering, so I suppose whatever I did was good. I feel a hand clad in leather fingerless gloves rest on my shoulder. The speakers turn off and the crowd begins to dissipate.

"Dude. That was awesome! I thought you said you couldn't dance?" The girl with pink hair exclaims.

"I didn't know I could. I usually only dance in my room." I admit.

"Why? You're honestly so good! You should totally join us." The boy with the hoodie says.

"I can't-" I start but cut myself off. Remembering Tiki's words I sigh softly, straighten my shoulders, and smile. "Sure."

"Awesome!" Hoodie boy says. "I'm Mahommed by the way."

"Zara here." The girl with pink hair says thumbing to herself.

"Claudia." The redhead says giving me a peace sign. 

"Victor." A boy who I haven't noticed yet says. He's tall with dyed grey hair and an eyebrow piercing. He has multiple earrings in his ears and he wears a black choker around his neck. I notice he has a large burn mark on his exposed bicep. 

"I'm Marinette but, you can call me Mari I suppose," I say with a large smile.

"So, let me tell you how this works," Claudia says hopping off of the stack of milk crates she was sitting on. She walks over to me and slings her arm over my shoulder which is awkward since she's so short. "We each have a different style of dancing. Zara, as you could see, is a breakdancer, Mohammed and I do the salsa together but he also does hip-hop and I do ballet, and Victor does ballet-slash-contemporary dance. We each learn a new dance and meet up at a certain time and place to show each other or new moves. Sometimes we make money sometimes we don't, it's really just for fun."

"Really?" I ask at the fact that they don't care about the money involved.

"Yeah. We all need a...escape from our day to day lives and dancing gives us one." Zara explains.

"An escape is kind of exactly what I need right now." I chuckle. 

+++++

After giving them my number I finally go to the festival where Alya and the girls are still waiting at. I'm gonna have to bake them all cookies as an apology. Alya is leaning against a lamp post with her phone in her hand and the girls are either sitting on the cement or on the bench. I grimace and approach them.

"Hey, guys," I say. Alya's head snaps up and her eyes bug out of her head.

"Hey, girl! Where have you been?" She exclaims. 

"Yeah, we've been waiting for like five-ever." Alix chimes in.

"I hope everything is okay," Rose adds. I scratch the back of my neck.

"Everything's fine I just got a little caught up in something," I explain. Looks of doubt cross all of their faces but they drop it. "Anyways, shall we go-"

Crash!


	3. Burning

Crash!

I jump and look around, squinting my eyes for any sign of an Akuma. The tell-tail sound of zaps fills the air and a golden glow radiates from down the street. I turn back to Alya and the girls to see them all staring up at the sky with wide eyes filled with fear.

"Hide!" I scream at them, snapping them out of their daze. They quickly get up and run to various buildings. I run to an abandoned alley and transform with a bright flash of pink. Using my yo-yo I leap onto the roof and scan for where the Akuma is. A soft pitter-patter of leather-clad feet hit the brick roof beside me. With a glance, I confirm who it is and smirks.

"Hey minou." I greet. He leans onto his baton and stares at me with a Cheshire grin.

"Greetings m'lady." He says in a light tone. I'll never admit this especially to him, but his presence calms my nerves, making me forget Adrian and all my problems. If I ever told him that it would go straight to his head. "Shall we?" he says holding out his hand for me to take. I roll my eyes playfully and scoff.

"You wish alley cat." I chuckle, leaping off the roof onto the next one.

+++++

Spinning my yo-yo in a pink haze, I block off one of the golden lasers of the Akuma-a woman in her twenties with a white dress made of shiny material, and her skin is on fire. A teddy bear cased in gold is in her left hand and she floats delicately off of the ground. A hoard of mind-controlled adults with golden eyes are surrounding Chat and I on all sides.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir, you'd make wonderful parents." She says in a dazed voice before extending her left hand, her teddy bear's eyes glow in bright yellow light before the beams shoot out. Chat Noir blocks it just in time.

"That's not creepy at all." Chat comments with a huff.

"The teddy bear must be where the Akuma is." I say kicking the mind-controlled adult to my left in the stomach. "We gotta get out of here," I say.

"That sounds good-" Chat says while spin kicking a man in the face "to me, m'lady." he finishes. I wrap my arm around his waist and pull him close. "Well, at least buy me dinner first. " He smirks. I roll my eyes and yo-yo to the chimney down the street. Dropping into the alley we pant slightly.

"Why parents?" I mummer.

"Sadly, not all people have good guardians." Chat states numbly but I can tell there's a hint of sadness in his voice. We never talked about his home life and I'm not a hundred percent sure that Chat even has a home or parents. "But she's an adult, it doesn't make sense."Using my lucky charm in a bright flash of pink a roll of old film falls into my hands.

"Of course." I exclaim my mouth breaking into a smile. "I'll be right back kitty, think you can manage?" He smiles his Cheshire grin full of playfulness and sincerity. Taking my hand in his, bringing it up to his lips, and kissing it.

"For you m'lady, anything." He says. I roll my eyes but I can't help the grin that contorts my face. Taking out my yo-yo, I swing to the next building.

+++++

I sprint into the movie theater in my civilian form and crash into the counter. Master Fu looks up from his seated position on the blue and white cooler. His face washes over with a smile, making his eyes crinkle. He stands up on the cooler and leans in.

"Ah, Ladybug. What do you need?" He asks knowingly.

"I need the fox miraculous." I pant breathlessly. He raises an amused eyebrow before handing me the box with the said miraculous inside. Rushing out of the movie theater and to a nearby alley.

I transform and yo-yo to where the Akuma victim is which at the moment is near the school. Knowing Alya is probably filming the fight I scan the area slowly, looking out for her orange-red hair. A flash of colorful plaid behind a baby blue car catches my attention. With a triumphant smirk, I swing my yo-yo and it loops around a lamp post that stands proudly behind Alya and her hiding spot. I tug and the thin yet unbreakable string pulls me across the street. I land delicately behind her and tap her on the shoulder.

"Ladybug." She gasps when she turns in my direction. I smile warmly at her and hold the small box up in front of me.

"Are you ready to put on your ears again?" I ask with a raised eyebrow, doubting she would turn down the opportunity.

"Of course big B." She smiles widely taking the box from my hand. With a brilliant orange glow she transforms into Rena Rouge, her red hair is up into a thick pony that splits into a tail like style, white dusts over the ends of her hair. Her usual clothes are replaced with an orange and yellow costume with a tail attached and a flute rests against her back delicately.

"Come on, we need to find Chat. I'll tell you both the plan then." I say yo-yoing to the rooftop I came from.

+++++

"Alright, everyone knows what to do?" I ask making sure they know the plan. They both nod and I smile. "Rena Rouge, if you will." I motion to the street. She smirks and takes out of flute and rests her lips against the wood. A melodic sound drifts from the instrument and a clone of Chat and I stand before us motionless. They begin to move and jump into the middle of the street where the Akuma-aka "Baby-doll" is wreaking havoc upon the citizens of Paris. As the fake Ladybug and Chat Noir distract her and draws her to the Eiffel tower we go around and fill multiple buckets with water and wait.

"Are you sure this is gonna work?" Chat asks.

"We'll see, kitty." I answer with a warm smile. I see a blush color his cheeks under his mask and I pretend I didn't see it. As if on cue Baby-doll chases the mirage into the exact spot we need her to be in. I nod to Rena Rouge and Chat Noir and they dump the water over the Akuma victim causing her scorching flames to extinguish. Chat Noir leaps down and uses his cataclysm to break apart the concrete beneath her. She falls and is trapped by the pile of rubble. I quickly grab the teddy-bear with my yo-yo and rip it in half. Cleansing the dark-colored butterfly and reversing the effects of the Akuma, I jump down to the Akuma victim and realize with a wave of confusion that she's not 20 years-old but can't be older than eight.

Tears stream down her chocolate-colored face. Her pink lips are quivering and a large cut runs across her puffed cheek. I run over to her and gather her up in my arms. She clings to my torso and sobs loudly. My heart clenches at the sound. Chat runs his hand over her head and Rena pats her back while asking her what happened.

"Papa was mean." She cries.

"What did he do?" Chat asks with warmth in his voice but one look in his eyes tells me there's a storm brewing in his mind. She cries harder and I squeeze her tighter.

"Did he do that to your face sweety?" I ask kindly. She nods and I bite my lip.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be bad! Papa's gonna be mad at me! He said I'm his big girl, but I don't wanna be his big girl anymore," She yells.

"You're fine sweetheart. You did nothing wrong. We promise that your daddy won't hurt you again." Chat says with a smile. She stops crying and looks up at him.

"You-you promise?" She asks and he nods. Leaping into his arms he pets her hair comfortingly. I smile at them but it falls when I hear my earrings beep.

"I got this LB." Chat informs me. I pat his shoulder in thanks before Rena Rouge and I run off, ducking into an alley.


	4. Fragmented

The sound of my alarm fails to wake me up just like every morning, only the shouts from my mom and the squeal of tiki's shrill voice in my ear can snap me from my deep sleep. I groan loudly as waves of alertness washes over me, crashing into my like waves pushing me onto the sandy beach that is the waking world, but the pull of the tides tries to drag me back into the calm and deep darkness that is the temptatious sleep.

Rolling onto my stomach I cover my head with my soft pillow to drown out the light coming from my windows. The sounds of life flood my head as cars and people pass by the bakery. My stomach growls rudely at me when the smell of fresh Brioche tickles my nose. My body aches from lack of sleep, my energy being drained from the countless Akuma attacks on top of keeping a perfect 20 on every school assignment, running the bakery with my parents which is a lot of work in itself, and making sure I keep time to fulfill my hobbies. Sometimes I regret taking the role of Ladybug, saving Paris day after day. Even multiple times in a day but, then I look over at Tiki and the friends that I've made because I've become more confident and I couldn't wish for it any other way.

Tiki rubs her head against my upper arm, her minuscule follicles of soft fur tickling my skin. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost her. She's my best friend and I loathe the day that I will no longer be Ladybug. It pains me to think of the fact that she's an immortal being, she's worked alongside hundreds of Ladybug's and she'll continue to do just that in the future, I'll be just another distant memory to her if I'm lucky or maybe she'll forget about me, I'm only Marinette after all, not a queen or an empress, or a night in shining armor like a few of the Ladybug's she's served; Just Marinette.

"Marinette!" She wines sweetly.

With one final groan, I lift myself off of my warm bed, my blue eyes hooded with sleep. I pick up my phone as I rub my eyes to check the time. In white letters planted in the middle of the screen reads 8:07. My brain instantly snaps into overdrive and wakes up faster than the speed of light. Adrenaline rivaling the caffeinated tea I drink every morning. I throw off my pink covers and practically jump off of my bed onto the floor. I run to my pink and black dresser and tear open the drawers. With quick movements, I throw on a yellow crop top on with frilled white sleeves and a pair of pink high waisted shorts. I hop ungracefully around my room as I put on my shoes while gathering all of my school supplies, my left hand welding my pink brush and dragging it through me raven hair. Dragging my backpack off of my chair and slinging it onto my shoulder as I run down the stairs, almost tripping halfway down.

I snatch a piece of Brioche off of the cutting board and smear strawberry-orange marmalade over its surface. Kissing mama and papa on the cheek quickly before rushing out the door. The busy traffic to my right and the flow of pedestrians push me along the grey sidewalk to my left. I eat the delicious food as I speed walk, thanking my lucky stars that I live so close to the school. I spot a familiar auburn-haired beauty when I finish my light breakfast. As if sensing my presence she turns her head in my direction. Her face breaks into a wide smile, her dazzling white teeth a contrast to her honey skin. 

When I reach her she loops her arm through mine and we walk up the stone steps of the school. She grins at me and I can tell she's still happy about being able to be Rena Rouge again. If it was my decision I would just give her the miraculous already because she's such a perfect fit but, unfortunately, it's not. 

"Hey girl," She greets me as usual. "You were almost late again." Her soft chuckle makes me smile.

"I'm not always late!" I argue playfully.

"Uh-huh, right." She says sarcastically. "You're late every day! Which I don't understand because you live literally across the street." She laughs again. I blush and pout my lips but I'm cut off by a loud yawn that escapes from my throat, making my eyes water.

"Woah girl, how much did you sleep last night?" She asks concerned.

"Not much," I admit honestly rubbing my eyes. We walk through the door to our classroom, a handful of students already in their seats, including Adrian and Nino. 

"Salutations my dudes." Alya greets loudly with a flourish of her hand. I admire her confidence and am thankful I befriended her from what seems like years ago but in reality, was only a year. 

"Hey boys." I wave tiredly at them, Nino nods back with a smile and a two-fingered salute but he's clearly trying to get the last few minutes of music in before the bell rings. Adrian's glowing face shines brighter than the sun, a look of innocence always resting on his features. 

"Hello, Marinette. Alya." Adrian greets back. I give him a tired smile before yawing again, covering my mouth with my hand. I sit down in my usual seat and within a minute, sleep clouds my mind and I doze off with my head resting on the cold wooden surface. 

+++

When I wake up I'm laying on the unforgiving wooden bench that we sit on during class. A white blazer styled jacket is placed on top of me, covering my bare legs and arms. My knees are pulled up to my chest and a blue hoodie that I know belongs to Nino is positioned under my head like a pillow. I groan and squint at the blinding fluorescent lights. I feel a hand in my hair and I look up in a panic to see Alya's warm face staring down at me, a mixture of amusement and fondness. I calm down and smile softly at her, relaxing into her touch.

"How long was I out?" I mumble sleepily.

"A couple of hours." She says calmly. My eyes snap open and I sit up.

"A couple of hours!" I try not to shout. She laughs affectionately at my distress.

"Don't worry girl, I recorded the professor for you so you can take notes at home." It takes me a second to register what she's saying due to my still sleep drunk brain, but when it does I break out into a smile and hug her.

"Thank you, Alya." I squeal. Nobody objects to the sudden noise because we're in the middle of our break between each class. I sigh in relief as she pats my head. I yawn and pull away. I shiver slightly at the attack of cool air coming from the AC above me.

"Hey Nino," I call out. His head clad in his typical red hat turns in my direction smoothly. He smiles upon seeing me. "Do you mind if I wear your jacket? I'm a little cold."

"Go for it dudette." He smiles at me. His white teeth a cold white against his cocoa dusted skin. I smile in gratitude, my eyes crinkling at the edges. Picking it up and shoving my arms inside, the warm fabric drapes over my body. The size difference between Nino and I shows when the sleeves of the hoodie go past my fingertips.

"Adrian." Alya addresses. The neatly combed mop of golden hair turns to her. His warm smile making my chest flutter but I shake off the feeling.

"Yes?" He asks.

"Mind if I use your jacket thing. I'm a little cold too. " She laughs. He laughs in return, the sound setting off symphonies in my ears.

"It's all yours." He says before turning back around. Alya makes the move to pull the jacket off of my legs and she pushes her arms through the sleeves when the fabric tops.

"It's too small." She says in disbelief. I giggle but cover my mouth with my hand when she gives me a death glare. Suddenly her face shifts to one of mischief. "Wanna trade?" She asks. "You get to wear Adrians jacket and I get one that fits."

"You just wanna wear your boyfriend's jacket don't you?" I say with a raised eyebrow.

"Um duh." She says as if it's obvious. I roll my eyes playfully at her and we exchange the clothing. Adrian's jacket is still big on me but not as big as Nino's. It hangs down past my shorts and the sleeves go to my knuckles. When I turn my head I catch a whiff of Jasmin and ....cheese? When I look at Alya she's wrapped up in her boyfriend's favorite hoodie, it's a little big on her making her have sweater paws but it fits her much better than it did me. We giggle at our matching blushes but drop the subject.

A loud ringing fills the chattered covered air, ceasing all conversation, and informing us break is over. Standing up and slinging my hand made pink back-pack over my shoulder I wait for Alya as she packs her things neatly. Feeling a dark presence on my right and an even darker presence on my left lets me know that Lie-la, sorry Lila, and Chloe have arrived. I sigh and turn around ready to face their vicious words. Lila has a blank look on her face but I can see the utter rage and hatred in her eyes. Chloe, on the other hand, is obvious with anger but a flash of something glazes across her eyes ...hurt? Taken aback by the sudden emotion coming from Chloe I shake my head, trying to convince myself that it was just my imagination.

"What do you think you're doing dumb-pain cheng?" Chloe squeals, her cheeks dusted in pink. This gains the attention of everyone left in the classroom.

"Um? Nothing?" I say unsurely. 

"Oh really, then what's this?" Chloe says, pulling at Adrian's jacket. 

"Come on Chloe, leave her alone." I hear Alya's demand. Chloe ignores her and instead focuses her piercing blue eyes on me.

"It's A jacket, Chloe. Ever heard of it?" I ask sarcastically with a roll of my eyes. I begin to walk away but Chloe's small manicured fist clamps down on the white fabric.

"It's Adrian's, why do you have it!" She yells, her eye twitching. The sound of Lila's laughing cuts through the tense atmosphere.

"Hey!" Alya yells, she storms into view and snatches Chloe's hand from me.

"Isn't it obvious? They're dating! That's why he gave her the jacket." Lila says sweetly but their's bitterness in her voice. Chloe's body stiffens and I blush violently.

"What! Th-That's n-not true!" I stammer.

"Oh please, I've seen the way you look at him. Unless it's onesided." Lila says, fake sympathy lacing her words. I shake my head, feeling a sting in my heart but ignore it. I turn again when I feel Chole's hands on me one more. She tears at the fabric, ripping it from my body. The force of her touch sending me forward. My eyes widen and I open my mouth to scream as the wooden floor comes closer to my face. I reach my right hand forward to brace myself from the fall, instead, I feel a snap and pain shoots through my arm. Tears form in my eyes and I start sobbing from the pain. Everything is silent except for my crying and the pounding of pain vibrating through my body.

Looking up I see Chloe standing above me with wide eyes and her jaw dropped. Lila stands behind her with a satisfied smirk. Chloe reaches up to her mouth and I notice her hands are shaking. 

"Marinette, I'm so sor-" Chloe starts but is interrupted by Alya scream profanities at her. The usual calm girl is now being held back by Adrian who looks to not be trying very hard to retrain her. Her face is red as she lunges for the rich girl. Chloe stands there, taking the verbal abuse. I feel myself being pulled into somebody's arms. A quick check to my left I recognize Nino through my tears. Lila moves forward, fake worry written on her face. She comes to my side and reaches a hand out to touch me.

"Don't you dare touch her," Nino growls uncharacteristically. Lila's eyes are wide with confusion.

"I'm just trying to help. My grandma ran one of the most renowned hospitals so she taught me-" She lies but is interrupted by Adrian. 

"Knock it off!" He yells loudly to both Alya and Lila. "Now is not the time for lies or arguing. Our classmate is hurt so act like adults and help her." Alya instantly stops but continues to glare daggers into Chloe. Lila backs off and goes to sulk in the corner. Adrian and Alya huddle around me, Adrian taking my arm in his hands.

"I-I'm f-fine." I stutter trying to stop my tears from falling. 

"No, you're not," Adrian says kindly. He inspects my forearm and a deep frown appears on his face. "Marinette..."

"What? What's wrong?" Alya demands concerned. Adrian sighs and looks down. Not meeting my eyes. 

"It's...broken."


	5. Eyes

“It’s what?” I ask weakly. “No, no, no, no. I’m fine.” I sniff, wiping my tears. “I’m okay.” I laugh maniacally while trying to stand up. “It’s just a sprain.” The floor spins as I take a few wobbly steps forward to retrieve my fallen bag. I ignore the pounding of pain in my arm, stabbing every nerve relentlessly; making me nauseous and dizzy. I ignore the swelling and the instant black bruises forming. I ignore the fact that hot tears are still streaming down my face. I ignore it all. 

I pick up my bag with my injured hand to prove that I'm okay but I end up screaming in agony. Falling to my knees I cradle my arm to my chest. Tears fall like an endless waterfall and sobs escape my pink lips, I try to swallow them down. Refusing to admit that it hurts this much. I stubbornly stand and grasp the backpack in my hand, with gritted teeth. 

“Mari stop!” Adrian exclaims walking over to me at a fast pace. I hold up my uninjured hand and glare at him, forcing him to stop in his tracks.

“I’m fine, Adrian.” I spit forcefully. I manage to lift the bag on my shoulder and I pant breathlessly. Sweat coats my forehead from the effort and I taste the bitter tang of blood on my tongue from biting my lip so hard.

“No, you’re not!” Alya yells in frustration due to my stubbornness.

“Alya’s right, you don’t look good dude.” Nino defends.

“It’s brok-.” 

“Shut up!” I snap, cutting Adrian off. “I-I’m fine. Okay?" I lick my lips self-consciously and take a deep breath in order to calm down."Thank you for the concern but I'm OKAY.” I say quietly, feeling embarrassed for yelling.  
I put my head down and walk out of the classroom, my right arm being held by my left. A few people linger around outside of classrooms since passing period ends in a few minutes. I'm sent a few curious stares, most likely due to the yelling that occurred earlier. I avoid looking at everyone as I turn the corner to a secluded seating area of five chairs. A small table with a box of tissues sits under a high window. The rays of sun stream in and cast the little sitting area in a glowing embrace filled with warmth. A large contrast to my emotions at the moment. I plop down on the poorly made chair, my small frame sinking into it as if I weigh hundreds of pounds. The fake leather squeaks obnoxiously when I adjust my legs. I rest my head in my left hand as I stare down at my right. My fingers are red from lack of blood flow but that's not the concerning part. A large grotesque lump in beginning to form a few inches from my wrist. A dark bruise that matches the sade of spilled wine decorates my olive skin. 

I cry as the adrenaline begins to wear off and the pain becomes even stronger. I try to close my fist in order to stimulate blood circulation but my fingers don't move. My eyes widen in horror as I try to close my fist or at least move my fingers. I'm shaking violently from the effort and the weight of broken dreams smoother me. I start shaking my head in disbelief, my throat closes in grief and the only sound I can make is a strangled sob. 

“Marinette!” Tikki commands in her tiny voice. “You need to go to the hospital.”

"I'm fine Tikki. Really." I sob. Trying to reassure her but she sees through my lies. 

"You need to go to the hospital." She says angrily.

“Tikki I-”

“MARINETTE!” She interrupts me. “ I’m not taking no for an answer.” I sigh deeply and look into her big blue eyes, seeing nothing but worry that makes me feel guilty.

“Okay, Tikki. I’ll go.” I say quietly in defeat. My tears seem to never end, coating my cheeks in a thick layer of tears. Streams run off of my chin and down my kneck, I'm sure my mascara is also making itself evident on my face. I slowly walk back to the classroom, every step makes me breathless as the pain in my arm is too distracting. Miss. Bustier stands before everyone that was in the classroom when break ended. The incoming students for the next class are standing outside the door waiting to be let in the classroom. I sniff and try to wipe my tears again but to no avail. 

Miss Bustier is staring down at Chloe with disappointment, which I wasn't sure existed in Miss Bustier's range of emotions. Chloe's...sulking. Not defending herself, not saying I deserved it. Nothing. She just stands there quietly nodding to every word Miss Bustier is saying. Alya is sitting on Adrian and Nino's desk. Her long legs crisscrossed and her face in her hands. Nino is talking quietly with Adrien in the corner near the blackboard. I feel guilty for troubling everyone, forcing the students to wait outside when they should be enjoying class, making everyone that witnessed what happened to stay as well, wasting Miss Bustier's time, making everyone anxious, worried, and angry all because I stood up to Chloe. I swallow thickly trying to clear the lump in my throat. 

"Alya," I call. Her head snaps up at the sound of my voice along with everyone else in the classroom. "Could...could you take me to the hospital?" I ask, choking on the words. She smiles warmly at me. A smile that I am forever thankful to see, one of the rival's lightning bugs and the feeling of dancing in a meadow at sunset. The suns warm rays hugging you in a sweet embrace, comforting you like your favorite sweeter. 

"Of course." She says lovingly. She hops off the desk with the grace of a ballerina. 

"Marinette." Miss Bustier says concerned but still affectionately. "I'll write you a pass to leave school grounds but when you come back please see me and the principle. We have a lot to discuss."

"Yes, ma'am." I choke with a nod. Alya takes my bag and escorts me out of the school and into her small Volkswagen that's painted a soft nectarine orange. She opens the car door for me even though I protest and buckles my seatbelt.

++++

Do you know how in movies and tv shows when a character has cancer they show how they're feeling? Everything slows down and the audio mutes even though everyone around them is still talking. That's how I feel now, a day after my surgery that put my broken bones back together like a puzzle that needs solving. The audio cut out when the Doctor said I would have nerve damage, that it would be a high chance that I could never form my hand into a fist.

There's a chance that I could never sew again. A chance that I won't be able to do the thing that I love most in this world. My chest tightens and the pink cast on my arm glares at me with mocking laughter. My throat drys and my blue eyes water. Mama and papa are still talking with the Doctor, the words 'have hope' and 'there's a chance there will be no problems' surface in my ears. I clear my throat.

"Do you mind if I step outside for a second?" I ask, cutting everyone off. The doctor smiles reasuringly at me. 

"Go ahead, dear." She says. I nod and practically run out of the room. I lean my back against the light blue walls of the hospital and take quick breaths. 

"It's going to be okay Marinette. I promise." Tikki whispers into my ear from behind my big tales. 

"I know Tikki." I lick my lips before speaking again. "I'm just scared," I admit. 

++++

The air is silent as Chloe and I sit outside of Principle Damacleas' office. She fiddles with her neatly painted black nails decorated in sunflowers. I wouldn't have pegged Chloe for a sunflower girl but I guess everyone is full of surprises. I rub my still swollen fingers with my left hand and sigh slightly. Time is slowed down, seconds feel like minutes, minutes feel like eternities. I begin examining my black and pink converse, noticing that the silver silk ribbon that I used to lace them is frayed at the ends. I hear Chloe huff loudly and lick her lips.

"I didn't do it on purpose." She says quietly. Honestly with sincerity. I snap my head in her direction to see her looking down in shame. 

"Than why did you?" I ask emotionlessly. "Get mad I and try to rip his jacket off me, I mean." She licks her lips again and I notice a rosy blush dusting her fair skin.

"It's not really your business, Dupain-Cheng." She bites back, making me chuckle dryly without humor and laced with sarcasm. 

"You made it my business when you broke my arm." I snap. 

"I told you, I didn't do that on purpose. I would never h-" she stops herself by biting her lip. "I was upset and heartbroken." She says instead. "Seeing the person I love do that. Especially when it's such a romantic gesture...it hurt." 

My eyes widen at her honesty. Why would she tell me all of this? Not to get out of trouble, she can do that on her own thanks to her father. To make me forgive her? Doesn't make sense, she hates me why would she want my forgiveness? So why? Why is she doing this?

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask slowly, like approaching a wild bear. She scoffs in her signature way that is completely Chloe. A way that I've known since the first day we met back in primary school. 

"Marinette, I'm a liar. I've never told an honest thing in my entire life. I guess I've had enough of it. Enough of pretending and acting like someone on a stage. I'm tired." She looks me in the eyes, her icy blues melting into warm puddles. Showing what's really behind them for the first time. I'm stunned to say the least and even more confused.

"But...why me? You have Sabrina." I say squinting my eyes. She waves her manicured hand at me, dismissing my claim. 

"I've been too cruel to her. She doesn't deserve more cruelty by thinking she's one of the reasons I lie. Plus, you're Marinette. Even if you hate someone you're kind and that's hard to find in this world. True kindness." 

I smile when I process the words. Is that a compliment? I ask myself. This is all too good to be true. Does Chloe actually have a heart? The thought never really crossed my mind. 

"You must really like him then," I say changing the subject. Her face contorts in confusion. 

"Who?" She asks. 

"Adrian," I say like it's obvious. "To tear that jacket off of me like that, you must love him a lot." Her confusion doesn't sease until a few seconds after my words unfold and begin to make sense in her mind. Her warm eyes cloud over with ice again, shocking me.

"Yeah, I must. Huh?' She laughs, but I can't help but hear the sadness laced with bitterness in the sound. Dumbfounded I open my mouth again but the door opens and the big man steps out and motions us inside. We stand and I walk ahead, Chloe following behind.

"You may sit." Principal Damaclease says as he gets behind his desk. "I suppose you two know why you're here."

"Yes, sir," I say.

"Mmm." Chloe hums.

"Good." He declares.

"Am I expelled?" Chloe asks numbly, Principal Damaclease looks confused. 

"Why would you be?" He asks.

" 'Cuz I'm the one that pushed Dumbpain-Cheng," Chloe says obviously.

"But you weren't." He admits.

"What?" Chloe and I ask at the same time. He sighs dramatically and turns the computer screen around. Showing a clip of the classroom from a camera. He slams his space key and the video starts to play. 

I see Chloe and I arguing. Even though it's black and white you can tell Chloe's face is cherry red. I see Lila walk up to us. A large sneer plastered on her face that is quickly replaced with a worried look. A few seconds later I see myself walk away, Chloe grabs me and begins pulling at the jacket. It rips in her hands but I haven't fallen yet. I squint my eyes and see Lila sweep her feet from under mine making me fall on the ground. I see Chloe holding her hands to her face in horror as Alya walks up to her. The clip cuts off after that. 

"It was Lila?" Chloe and I say together in exasperated and shocked tones. 

"Okay, we have to stop doing that." Chloe spits putting her hand up. I sigh and relax into my seat. 

"Couldn't say I'm surprised really," I admit. 

"Has she been expelled?" Chloe asks bitterly. 

"No, she informed us that it wasn't her fault. You see, she has DID and said that one of her alters pushed you. We can't punish her for her mental illness but we'll be keeping a watchful eye on her." He informs us. My jaw falls open, anger racing through me. How DARE she lie about having DID! That's the lowest thing she's ever done and I don't even think the evilest criminal would lie about that.

"You've got to be kidding!" Chloe demands. "She's lying!"

"Chloe!" He protests in disappointment. "That is incredibly rude saying something like that." Her face is red and rage is behind her eyes. Her hands grip onto her chair, her sharp nails digging into the fake leather. I tap her hand and shake my head at her. Hesitantly she calms down enough to not get akumatized. I huff, letting all of my anger go and smile at him. 

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention, sir," I say with strained politeness. "We'll be sure to keep this a secret and be sensitive about it." He smiles greatfully at me. 

"Thank you Miss Dupain-Cheng. You both may go back to class." She announces. Chloe and I get up and walk out the door. When the door close she shakes her head in disbelief. 

"This is ridiculous." She spits.

"Utterly ridiculous," I finish mocking her old catchphrase she glares at me but a hint of a smile plays at her lips. 

"I just don't understand why she does these things." I admit a second later. "if she was nice and told the truth I'm sure people would like her."

"Sometimes it's easier to manipulate people into thinking you're a different person than actually letting them in. Especially if you know they won't like the real you." She reasons, but anger is still in her voice. 

"Speaking from experience?" I ask. She looks at me and for a second her ice melts away, a sad smile forms on her thin lips.

"Of course."


	6. Drops of Moonlight

Moonlight hugs me with light fingers, it coats everything in a vibrant embrace. Making the dark lighter and less menacing. The wind ruffles through my unkempt midnight hair and a smell of strawberries fill the air. I take a sip of hot tea making my chest bloom in herbal flavors and warmth, a deep contrast to the icy numbness that radiates through my veins. I don’t allow myself to feel because then it would only be negative emotions and that...gets you akumatized. I loathe Hawkmoth for stealing this away from people. Forcing people to push down their emotions so they don’t hurt innocent people or people they love. Negative emotions are part of life, it’s how we grow and he’s just taken that away from us.

I sigh loudly with stress but look up at the moon in all her beauty. I smile softly at her and think of how amazing she is. How she controls more things on this earth than the so-called son, the more popular partner in this relationship because his light outshines that of her subtle grace. A soft pitter-patter of leather-clad feet against metal sounds to my right. A soft sound that anyone would ignore or not pick up, but I’ve become familiar with it to the point where I could pick it out in a crowded mall.

“Hello, Chat.” I address quietly. 

“Your hearing is as good as a Cat princess.” He chuckles with a smirk. 

“Shame. I’m more of a dog person.” I smile letting him know I’m not serious. I finally tear my eyes away from the moon and meet his bright green ones. “What brings you here? Need my help again?” 

“Although that was fun, that isn’t why I’m here.” He laughs. “I heard of the...incident at your high school.” I roll my eyes at the thought of Lila but stiffen once a startling realization dawns on me.

“How do hear about that?” I question with squinted eyes.

“I...have a few...friends that attend said school.” He says. 

“And they just...told you about the “incident” eh?” I ask with suspicion. 

“Indeed. You’re more popular than you realize Marinette.” He states seriously. “People pay attention, even if you don’t see it.” I blush at the thought that Adrien could be one of these people but I shake my head, shrugging off the thought. He would never see me more than a friend. I tell myself. 

“And you felt like you should check up on me, why?” He blushes and scratches the back of his kneck.

“I-I wanted to make sure you wou-wouldn’t get Aku-.” He stutters. His suave facade breaking. I smirk at him.

“I’m joking Chat. I appreciate the company.” I smile at him and he relaxes. I pat the sunchair next to me and he slips off of the metal railing with elegance but plops down on the cushion heavily, I shake my head fondly at him and turn my eyes up to the sky,

“Beautiful isn’t it?” I ask quietly. 

“Very.” He admits. I sigh dreamily and relax into the chair.

“She never gets the attention she deserves, does she?” He says. 

“Reminds me of a certain alley-cat.” I laugh turning my head to him. He raises an eyebrow under his mask and I notice golden flakes in his eyes.

"What do ya mean princess?’ He asks. I shrug slightly,

“You and Ladybug. Her light blinds people so they don’t see you even though you’re right next to her.” I say sadly as I fiddle with the handle of my mug. He chuckles lightly.

“I don’t mind really. All that matters is that I *am* by her side.” He says dreamily. 

“You must really love her, huh?” I mumble.

“More than life.” He says proudly. I close my eyes and grit my teeth, mad at myself for constantly hurting him by turning him down.

“How do you do it Chat? Constantly being hurt by the one you love?” I aks, tears building in my eyes.

“Simple. I love her too much. I know she doesn’t have feelings for me but that doesn’t mean I’ll be a jerk or be angry at her.” He smiles. I look at him, his face falls when he sees my tears. He reaches out and places a hand on my shoulder.

“Mari are you okay? What’s wrong?” He asks with worry. I chuckle and wipe my tears.

“I’m okay, it’s just heartbreaking. I’ve been rejected once and it feels like an elephant is standing on my chest. It makes me devastated thinking you feel like that.” Especially because of me. 

~Chat Noir's POV~

Three things run through my mind as I stare, wide eyes at the blue-haired girl in front of me: First, how could anyone reject such a sweet, funny, kind, and beautiful girl as Marinette. Second, it devastates her that my feelings-a stranger's feelings might I add-could be hurt. And third: How the fuck can someone reject her?

“Marinette.” I say softly, rubbing her arm. I open my mouth to say something but i’m at a loss of words. She sighs, wipes her tears, and leans back into her chair.

“Are you hungry?” She asks, changing the subject. A warm smile graces her lips delicately. I smirk at her, deciding to mess with her in hopes of cheering her up.

“Only for you princess.” I flirt. What the hell Adrian? She’s your friend you idiot! I chastise myself. I shrug internally at the thoughts. She barks out a laugh and shakes her head. She leans over the arm of her chair and I stiffen slightly, expecting a slap to the face but a smirk is played out on her lips and a playful glint is in her eyes.

“Silly Kitty, you couldn’t handle me.” She laughs, flicking my bell. My eyes widen at the sudden change of attitude. I’ve never seen Marinette act this way. She laughs at my surprise and stands from her chair. “I’ll go get some snacks, be back in 15. That’ll give you time to...recharge or however it works.” She opens the hatch in her roof and disappears through the opening, closing the hatch behind her. 

I sit in awe, an embarrassing dark blush coating my cheeks and confusion racing through my head. I shake it away and de-transform. Plagg stretches his tiny arms and sighs dramatically. I roll my eyes but smile fondly at him. 

"If I would have known you were going to see your girlfriend I would have had an extra piece of cheese." He complains, making me scoff loudly.

"Marinette is just-" I start.

"A friend?" Plagg finishes for me.

"Yeah." I laugh. He rolls his big green eyes at me and crosses his arms. "What?" I demand tiredly. He squints at me, ready to open his mouth to say something but he stops himself and recloses it. That's weird. I think to myself, making me raise an eyebrow. 

"I'm hungry, cheese me." He says instead. I shake my head and throw a piece of Camembert at him. He hums in delight as he catches the stinky cheese in his mouth. There's a knock coming from the hatch in the roof and I quickly transform. 

"Uh, I'm decent," I say slightly panicked at almost getting caught and nervous about how this evening will go seeing as how I've never done this before. Marinette opens the hatch and places a tray of delicious-looking food on the ground before climbing up, struggling due to the fact she only has use of one of her hands. I try to stand and help her but she demands that I sit back down. Not really feeling like challenging her I sit back down reluctantly She picks off the tray and places is neatly on the small patio table that's positioned to my right, Mari's chair sitting to my left. Her slim fingers dance over the array of varied sweets, picking out the largest ones and the most well crafted and setting them on a plat. She pours a cup of tea before handing both the plate and tea to me. I smile widely at her as she picks out her own snacks. 

We sit in comfortable silence. But a question grates against my thoughts like a rock on a cheese grater.

"So, what happened to the person who pushed you? That, Cleo girl." I ask.

"Chloe?" She corrects me. I nod with a hum as I take a bite of a chocolate-filled crescent.

"She wasn't the one who pushed me." She states matter-of-factly. The surprise must register on my face because she further explains. "She was upset about me wearing her crushes jacket and went a little too far, but she wasn't the one who pushed me." Another flash of confusion hits me because Mari was wearing my jacket and Chloe doesn't like me. I know who she actually likes and it's not me. 

"Then who pushed you?" I ask. She sighs loudly in anger at the thought of the person.

"Lila." She mumbles.

"Lila? The same Lila who said she was besties with Ladybug?" I ask anger radiates through me as this is just another reason to hate her.

"The very same." She chuckles bitterly.

"Did she get in trouble?" I ask trying to keep the anger out of my voice.

"Nope. She spun another one of her lies and made it all go away." She takes a sip of tea. "Said she has DID and that one of her alters did it." She scoffs and shakes her head in disappointment.

"Did anyone confirm that statement? Talk to her doctors and or therapists? Hell, even bring in her mother?" I ask getting angrier and angrier. Mari shakes her head. "That bullshit!" She flinches at the sudden loudness in my voice and I notice her hands shaking around her cup. My anger melts away and concern replaces it. " I didn't mean to raise my voice. I'm just...upset." she nods in understanding and gives me a small smile but her hands are still shaking. "Mari, you okay?"

"Uh-huh, just one too many Akuma attacks. I...don't like loud noises." She chuckles lightly, brushing the subject off. I nod in understanding and we lapse into silence yet again, this time more awkward than the last time. I look down at my cup of tea, the silver moon reflecting onto the surface. Ripples in the tea fold the image like drops of moonlight.

"Hey, chat?" She asks quietly in a vulnerable tone. I hum, letting her know I'm listening. "Could you come around more often? I really enjoyed this." I smile at the profile of her face, noticing for the first time the constellations of freckles decorating her rosy cheeks.

"As you wish, princess," I reply quietly, full of sincerity. I bite my bottom lip as I watch the relieved smile unfold on her face that she tries to hide by sipping her tea.


	7. Changing Tides

The sun kisses my freckled shoulders as I walk down the busy sidewalk, my broken arm rests over my stomach as not to accidentally hit it on any of the people passing by. My dark hair swirls in the soft wind that ruffles my loose-fitting tank-top the color of cherry blossoms in spring. Both my leggings and tank top have cross-stitching of small feathers varying in colors of the rainbow that I added myself on a bored Tuesday night. Tiki sits in my pastel blue back-pack that rests on my shoulders. Anxiety nips at my mind as I walk and I try to take deep breaths. I find myself chewing on my nails again, the poor things chewed off to the skin. 

Zara told me that they were meeting in front of the Louvre today, I haven't told them about my arm which is one of the reasons for my anxiety. What if they don't want me to dance with them anymore? What if they were really looking forward to seeing me dance today? What if they ask too many questions? What if suck? I berate myself. I feel Tiki move around in my back-pack before I hear her tiny voice.

"You'll be fine Marinette." She squeaks with love. I take a deep breath once I stop at the crosswalk. "I believe in you." I smile in thanks even though she can't see me. As the crosswalk signal for me to go I tighten my ponytail, determined to make Tiki proud. 

As I approach the front of the Louvre a flash of bright pink hair gains my attention. Zara stands behind Claudia with her arms around Claudia's waist, which would be impossible due to their height difference if it wasn't for the fact that Zara was holding Claudia in the air. I'm too far away but I can tell Claudia is squealing and laughing. A fond smile is placed on Zara's lips, making me smile in return. They remind me of Rose and Juleka. Mahommed is filming all of this on a very expensive camera when Victor decides to put his head between Zara's legs from the back and lift both of them into the air on his shoulders. His smile is blinding as both the girls scream for their lives. A few more steps and I'm standing in front of them, my giggling announcing my arrival. They all turn towards me and erupt with greetings. Victor places the girls down and Zara momentarily leaves her position behind Claudia to give me a hug.

"Hey!" She booms. 

"Hi," I say quietly, still a little shy. 

"Whoa, what happened to your arm?" Victor gasps as he stares at my cast. 

"Oh, nothing really. Just a mean girl is all." I laugh brushing it off.

"Damn, and I thought bullies at my school were bad." Mahommed chuckles.

"Will you still dance?" Claudia asks me. I blush slightly and rub the back of my neck.

"If you'll let me," I answer.

"Let you? More like beg you, you've got skill dude." Zara laughs loudly. Claudia rolls her eyes at her playfully, a twinkle in her eye that reminds me of the way Nino looks at Alya. 

"Have you been practicing?" Victor asks astounded by the concept of me still dancing even though my arm is broken.

"Yep." I smile. He grins and gives me a nod.

"Dedication or stubbornness?" He asks. I sigh as I think over the question.

"Stubbornness." I decide with a smile. 

"I approve." He laughs making me chuckle.

"Get a room," Mahommed says covering it up with a cough. 

"You realize that I'm-" Victor starts.

"That you're asexual." Mahommed finishes with a groan realizing the stupidity in his joke.

"So you're aware that that joke was-"

"Stupid on my part, yeah yeah I know," Mahommed answers making Victor laugh. 

"You both are morons." Claudia sighs and checks her watch. "Alright ladies, it is now 12:00 time to strut our stuff." She says with a clap of her hands.

I sit on the sidelines as I watch the others dance their hearts out. A large crowd forms around us and anxiety prickles at my skin once again. Zara's sharp movements paired with her bright smile soothes me. A light sheen of sweat coats her tan skin and I notice for the first time that she has a birthmark in the shape of a crescent moon on her right hip, her baggy black sweatpants sits just below. I decided to stretch my arms and legs as a way to relax, take my mind off of my racing thoughts. 

Claudia and Mahommed walk up to the plastic mat that protects our skin and allows us to slip and slide easily. Claudia smirks seductively at the audience, which quickly turns to amusement when she looks at Zara who's rolling her eyes. Mahommed starts off the dance by placing his hands on Claudia's hips from behind. I flick my eyes over to Zara to gauge her reaction as I reach for my toes to stretch, I surprisingly find her smiling fondly at the duo or more specifically Claudia. 

"Hey," I hear someone whisper to my left. I turn and see victor doing the same stretch that I'm doing. I raise an eyebrow at him letting him know i'm listening. "Sorry I was so cold the first time you danced. I wasn't having the...best of days." He says the last sentence with a small whimper in his voice. He shakes his head as if shaking off a thought or memory. "I just want to make it clear that you are 100% welcome here and I hope my attitude didn't put you off." He smiles hopefully.

"Don't worry, I understand. If you ever need to talk about anything, I'm always a text away." I smile and he nods.

When it's my turn to dance I take a deep breath and squeeze the fingers of my broken hand, checking to see if I can make a fist. Finding that I can a smile of reassurance coats my face. Victor pats me on the back and gives me a thumbs up. Stepping up to the mat I close my eyes to calm myself down before the music starts. The dance starts simple, I move my arms and body slowly feeling the music before the dance truly begins.

'Maybe some part of you just hates me  
You pick me up and play me  
How do we call this love'

My mind goes blank as I follow through with the motions, something that is unique to me seeing as how my mind is constantly racing. Some of the moves are harder to do because of my broken arm but I hardly register it. 

'One time tell me you need me tonight  
To make it easy, you lie  
And say it's all for love'

I'm faintly aware that I'm smiling slightly. My brows furrow in concentration.

'It seems like we've been losing control  
So bad it don't mean I'm not alone  
When I say'

Thankful that the mat protects my knees from the ground I break out of my trance for a moment to see the crowd cheering me on. All of my anxiety and apprehension melts away and I leave my eyes open. 

'All I need is a little love in my life  
All I need is a little love in the dark  
A little but I'm hoping it might kick start  
Me and my broken heart  
I need a little loving tonight  
Hold me so I'm not falling apart  
A little but I'm hoping it might kick start  
Me and my broken heart  
Me and my broken heart  
Me and my broken  
Yeah, yeah, yeah'

I laugh loudly and my cheeks hurt from smiling. My hair whips the skin of my shoulders and kneck but I can't seem to care. The crowd's cheers grow and I see Zara jumping up and down with excitement. When the song remix finishes I stop my movements and huff slightly. Serotonin racing through my brain like heroine making me feel dazed and blissed out. I walk off the mat and toward the group. 

"You were incredible!"Mahommed yells. "Can I hug you?" I giggle before wrapping my arms around him. The hug lasts a few seconds before we separate. He ruffles my hair and I roll my eyes. I can already feel myself becoming apart of this friend group. 

"Dude, the way you express your emotion through your body is insane." Zara chimes in. I blush brightly at the compliment.

"You guys are too kind." I laugh, embarrassed. 

"They're not wrong, you're incredible. Especially seeing as how you're untrained." Victor chimes in with a smile.

"Well...thanks," I say brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

~~Time Skip to Monday~~

*Adrien's POV*

Monday morning I walk into class as usual and sit down at my desk. Nino's already here listening intently to his headphones while scribbling something in his notebook, a keyboard sits on his left and I can tell he's working on another song. We make eye contact and we give each other a nod. I sigh as I sit down. Father kept me up late last night with all of the photoshoots, so along with patrol and homework, I barely got any sleep. My classmates trickle in and I yawn loudly.

"Good morning!" I hear Marinette sing brightly. I blink at her good mood, shocked at how happy she looks today instead of her usual quiet and cold demeanor in the mornings. I seem to not be the only one who notices because Alya is walking behind her with a raised eyebrow. "How are you guys?" She asks. Nino gives her a thumbs up and she nods turning to me.

"Uh, I'm good?" I say more like a question. Her smile turns into a small frown and she steps forward. My eyes go wide as she places the back of her hand against my forehead. 

"Are you feeling well, Adrian? You look a little sick." She asks. For some reason, my heart stutters and I feel my cheeks get warm. Confusion takes over my mind as I wonder why she's so outgoing. She always a little more reserved around me, so I'm curious about her change of behavior. 

"I'm fine," I reassure with a smile. She hums in disbelief but smiles anyways. 

"If you say so, but you should get some rest during your off period." She says pulling her back-pack off.

"Roger that," I respond. Roger that? Moron. She laughs, making her eyes light up. Nevermind you're a genius. What? 

Surprised at my thinking I shrug it off and return the smile. She sits down behind me and the bell rings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a link to the choreography I based Mari's dance off of.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBlAK7CDHo0&list=PL26wo9Q6ZtOzI4Vuf7tgom-q_Tdw151MX&index=19 
> 
> Sorry for such a long wait y'all. Just been really depressed and unmotivated. I'll try to post more. Sorry. Love you!-Jack <3<3


	8. Weigh Your Heart Against My Eyes

Warnings: Blood, Fire/Smoke, Sexually explicit language, Mentions of pedophilia, incest, and past abuse, crying.

A/N: If you are sensitive to these topics please feel free to skip this chapter and ignore the song. I deeply apologize if anything I have written has made you uncomfortable or triggered you. Feel free to contact me in case you need to talk to someone. -Jack <3<3<3

Marinette's POV

I groan as pain laces through my shoulder from the impact of being shoved into the brick wall next to me. The person responsible long lost in the chaos that is the rushing of people. People are screaming and crying, running for their lives. A few cars are overturned and glass scatters the ground like glitter, toxic smoke is in the air making me cough. Once I regain my bearings I notice a little boy running towards one of the burning cars, a bus to be more specific. Panic strikes me hard and fast as I push my way through the hoards of people. Someone elbows me in the rib, another steps on my foot, and someone's hand hits me in the lip making blood dribble down my chin. I clutch my broken arm close to my chest but it doesn't do much. I breathe heavily once I'm in the clear but I have no time to relax as I run towards the boy, pumping my arms as my feet slap the pavement.

He's a few feet away from the bus, too close for a fire that size. I pull him back by his shirt but he struggles against my grasp. I turn him around so he'll look at me and I notice his blue eyes are filled with tears, snot is running from his nose and his cheek is bloody.

"Hey, hey, hey." I try to soothe him but he continues to struggle, fighting me. "What's wrong? What's wrong?" I ask highly alarmed.

"My sister's in there!" He yells pushing me away. I look back at the car in horror, my eyes searching the windows of the burning bus.

"I'll get her," I tell him as he sobs loudly. "Stay here," I order, he nods violently. Luckily the doors to the bus are open so all I have to do is walk inside. I whip off my jacket and run up the steps, the scorching fire is climbing the sides of the bus, covering the ceiling. I get down on all fours and hug the floor. I look through each seat, panic rising ever steadily.

"Hello?" I yell but the flames are definingly loud. I see a clump in the corner under a seat, hope surges forward as I shake it. A little girl's head pokes out and I smile at her. I offer her a hand and she takes it without hesitation. I bring her close to my chest and she wraps her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. I cover her head in the jacket as I crawl back out of the bus. Once we're safe the boy leaps forward, scooping her up in his arms.

"Thank you!" He cries.

"Go find an adult or doctor," I tell him to which he nods, before running away with the little girl in his arms. I run quickly to an alley by the street and transform, my broken arm is healed temporarily thanks to Tikki's magic. I yo-yo to the top of the building to my right and look around. It has to be another Akuma attack. Thick smoke rises from all around me making it nearly impossible to see. I've never seen an attack like this, all this chaos. I jump from roof to roof trying to get a good vantage point to see where the most destruction is. I sit behind a chimney as my eyes scan the area, my heart breaking each second. There's a pitter-patter of feet to my right and I breathe a sigh of relief, already knowing who it is.

I turn to him while I chew on my lip. My face is scrunched up with emotion as I look up into his green eyes. Except they aren't green, but solid black with smokey grey irises. An evil smile is on his face showing off all of his pointed teeth. A long red tongue pokes out of his mouth and whips across his teeth coating them with saliva. My eyes widen in fear as I jump out of his reach and stand in a fighting position. He laughs maniacally and I notice his costume is an old fashioned black and white striped prison uniform. It's tattered and hangs loosely off of him, classic iron handcuffs hang from his boney wrists and ankles. The more I stare at him the more speechless I become.

He doesn't look like any Akuma victim I've ever seen and I'm at a huge disadvantage seeing as how I know nothing of his powers or what he wants. His laugher sends chills down my spine and I feel like throwing up when his grey eyes scan over my body with a predatory gaze. I try to shake off the feeling of absolute disgust by taking out my yo-yo.

"Who are you?" I demand loudly, irritation in my voice. He stops laugh and smirks, sauntering towards me.

"I've been deemed the Anarchist." He says, still slowly walking towards me. He reaches out to caress my face. "But you can call me Daddy, babygirl." Vomit rises in my throat as I slap his hand off of my skin. He laughs again and grabs me by my waist. "Everyone seems to think you're a grown woman," He says leaning close to my ear. "but I know the body of an underage girl anywhere."

I kick him in the groin swiftly and bring my elbow down on his kneck, forcing him to his knees. I move to kick him in the face but he catches my foot and pulls me down on the ground. Air leaves my lungs as my stomach slams into the roof. I wrap my yo-yo around his torso, keeping him still as I stand and turn towards him. He looks up at me, a sick smile on his face.

"Two can play at that game, my dear." He says as the stripes of his clothes separate into their own sheets of fabric. I'm suddenly wrapped in a tight embrace as the black and white stripes suffocate me, encasing my arms and legs. I let go of the yo-yo, the string zipping uselessly back into its case. The fabric gets tighter and I gasp for air. Think. Think. Think. Think. I can't use my Lucky Charm or my yo-yo so how do I get out of this.

"What do you want?" I pant helplessly. He pulls at the stripes, making me slam into his chest.

"My little girl back." He says as if it's obvious. "But you took her from me."

"What?" I choke confused.

"You know they took me to prison." He chuckles coldly. "Little slut couldn't keep her trap shut." I try to push away from him as my mind tries to process what he's saying. My jaw clenches as I realize who he is.

"You're her dad." I gasp slightly. "That little girl who was akumatized recently." He grins at me as he plays with the tips of my hair.

"Indeed." He answers.

What the fuck Hawk-Moth? Akumatizing criminals now?

My eyes search everywhere, trying to think of a plan to escape. Where is that cat? My feet twitch and I realize I can move my ankles since they aren't tied together. As the Anarchist keeps talking I get myself ready to jump. The edge of the roof is a little over five feet away, so I put all my strength into my legs and push into him, forcing him to stumble over his feet. I body slam into him and we fall onto the roof. Since it's at an incline we roll off the edge. As the pavement gets closer I fear that my plan has failed but just as I'm about to give up hope I feel the fabric surrounding me loosen, allowing me to slip through enough to reach my yo-yo. Before he can tighten his grasp on me my yo-yo wraps around a pole, a simple tug sens me flying towards it. A few jumps and swings later and I'm hiding behind a dumpster behind a restaurant.

I call up Chat Noir on my yo-yo and he answers after the third ring. I breathe a sigh of relief as his face pops up on the screen, blood flows from his cheeks but he doesn't seem to bothered.

"Where are you?" I ask before he can say anything.

"By the pre-school, maniac tried to set the school on fire." He grits out. His jaw is tense and a glowing hatred is burning in his eyes. "I got everyone out and the fire department is putting the fire out now."

"We'll get this guy, I promise," I say fiercely. I click a few buttons on my screen. "I just sent you my location. Hurry." He nods quickly and I shut my yo-yo. I try to come up with a strategy as I wait for my partner to arrive. I still don't know exactly what his powers are, he can use those stripes like a rope but he's been setting things on fire too. The tell-tale sound of leather-clad feet sound next to me and I flick my eyes over quickly, making sure it's him this time. I sigh deeply and lean my head against his shoulder.

"Woah, you okay there m'lady?" He asks concerned.

"I'll explain later. After we beat this guy promise to come talk to me?" I ask looking up at him. His face scrunches up in confusion and worry.

"Of course," He says. "Promise." He adds in an afterthought.

"Thank you," I say taking a deep breath before pulling away.

"So do you have a plan?" Chat asks.

++++

"Lucky Charm!" I scream raising my hand. Blood drips down the side of my face and my body feels like it's been chewed up and spit out. Chat is hunched over a man giving him CPR. The Anarchist stands in front of us, his stripes pulled away from his body and suspended in the air. A line of fire stemming from his foot leads to an inflamed apartment complex. A can of gasoline falls from the sky, making him laugh as I catch it in my hands.

"LB hurry! I don't think he has much time!" Chat shouts from his position on the ground.

"Really?" The Anarchist laughs, tilting his head to the side. "Are you really going to fight fire by giving it more fuel?" My eyes scan over the area and slowly an idea forms in my head. I make eye contact with Chat, flicking my eyes down to his staff and towards a car then to the villain and back to him. He seems to understand because he slowly reaches to his left where his staff sits. I make eye contact with the Anarchist as Chat get's into place.

"Something like that," I say as Chat propels the car forward, the Anarchist's attention is focused on him instead of me so I take the opportunity to swing over him with my yo-yo, dumping the gasoline over him. The flams by his foot crawl up his body, eating away at his costume and the smell of scorched flesh fills the air. While he's distracted by the pain Chat hits him over the head with his staff, allowing me to wrap him up with my yo-yo. I break the handcuffs from around his wrists, letting the Akuma free. I quickly cleanse it and reverse all of the damage. I run to look at the unconscious man Chat was giving CPR to find him gasping for air. Chat is quick to assist him but otherwise, he seems fine. My wounds are healed but my body is still in pain. I look back at the Akuma victim and I try to keep the hatred out of my eyes.

"Just because you took away my powers doesn't mean you've stopped me." He laughs, his green eyes a sickly color. " I'll get out of prison one day, then i'm coming for you." He licks his lips and I feel that same feeling of unease as I did earlier.

"You're sick." I spit in disgust.

"Thank you." He winks making me throw up in my mouth.

++++

When the cops took him away, Chat and I went our separate ways. We agreed to meet each other in an hour, giving our Kwamis some time to rest. My shakey hand comb through my hair anxiously. I feel a presence next to me and I look up to see Chat. He sits down elegantly, leaving an appropriate amount of room between us. He stares at me worriedly, probably wondering why I'm acting so weird.

"What's up?" He asks. I sigh and fidget with my fingers.

"You remember that little girl that was Akumatized recently?" He raises an eyebrow. "The one where she turned the adults into zombies." He nods in recollection. "You remember why she did that?"

"I remember she said something about her dad hurting her or something." He states remembering. "Why do you bring it up?"

"That was her dad," I say. His eyes widen. "And I think he did more than hurt her."

"Wait, you don't mean..." He stops himself before he can finish. He stares at me and I realize tears are streaming from my eyes. "What did he do to you?" He grits his teeth.

"Nothing really just said some really gross things." I chuckle wiping my tears away quickly. "Got too close to me," I admit. His fist clenches and I reach out to touch him. I guess this action soothes him because he relaxes into my touch. "What really bothered me was that he knew my age. Well, my age range." He stares at me with confusion and he tilts his head slightly.

"How?" He croaks out.

"He said-" I stop myself and take a deep breath. Chat takes my hand in his gently.

"You don't have to tell me, please don't force yourself." He says warmly.

"I'm sorry." I cry bursting into tears. "I should be stronger than this." I cry loudly. He pulls me into a warm embrace and I burrow my face into his kneck. I feel stupid for being so upset about the Anarchists' words since he never actually assaulted be but they were so violating. It felt like every time he looked at me he could see under my suit, deeper than my skin. I can't even imagine what that poor girl had to go through, I hope she's okay. I grossly sob into Chat's shoulder as he pets my hair gently.

"It's okay." He comforts me. "It's okay to be upset." He continues. "You should never have to feel like you need to hide your emotions, especially in front of me," he says. I squeeze him tighter as I cry for an entirely different reason. One that's caused me pain since the day I've met him.

He's too good for me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the song that I was listening to while writing this chapter. It's very powerful and spoke to me on so many levels. Feel free to ignore it but here's the link in case you're curious. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcagNVZ57rQ
> 
> Again, please contact me if you ever need to talk.-Jack

**Author's Note:**

> If you need someone to talk to please feel free to contact me. Thank you and Have a nice day, week, year, and life.---Jack.💜💜💜


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